Electric switch.



R. L. RAMSAY.

ELECTRIC SWITGH.

APPLICATION FLED JAN. 30, 1911,

Patentd Dec. 10, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT L. BAMSAY, OF COBPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TOJ. H. BUNNELL AND COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF 'NEW YORK.

ELECTRC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 30, 1911. Serial No. '605,585.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. RAMSAY, a citizen' of the United States of America, and residing at Corpus Christi, in the county -of Nueces and Stateof Texas, have invented a certain new and Improved Electric Switch, of 'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switches and particularly to switches for telegraphic or like service, the object of 'my invention r being to provide a compact device for establishing connection between a telegraphic instrument orthe like and any one of a number of line circuits.

In the accompanying, drawings Figure 1 is a plan of my switch in one form; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partiallyin section; and Fig. 3 'is a cross section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. V

The usual' practice in telegraph Stations where several lines enter is to provide a main'switch board ,to accommodate all the entering lines, and usually a smaller number of instrumente than lines, according to the business' done at the oflice'. It has also been the practice in many cases to usewhat is known as a table or auxiliary switch at the 'operator's desk, consisting of' a series of been of too complicated structure to be. of'

much practical value and have not gone into general use.

The present device is'an extremely simple and readily made switch designed to avoid the objections and difiiculties noted as well as. presentin certain advantages novel thereto. In t e form shown my improved switch comprises a base 10 with a series'of pairs of bnding screws 11-12 mounted thereon and adapted to receive a series of.

pairs of line wires 13-14, led, if preferred,

ing in theconductor of i switches have also been,

through the usual main entrance switch.

Each pair of binding screws is connected on the under side of the base by conductors 15-16 (here shown diagrammatically in dotted lines) to a pair of spring terminals' 17-18 preferably arranged in an arc on the base, as shown. The switch blade 19 is pivoted on 'the swiveling post' 20 which is at the -center of the arc of terminals 17-18 and is connected to the binding screw- 21 in any suitable way as sho`wn diagrammatically at 22.# The blade 19 -carries a plate 23 insulated therefrom by non-conducting material 24: and Contacting through the spring leg 25 with the ring 26 which surrounds the post 20, but is insulated there- Pateted Dec. 10, 1 912.

from by the interveni'ng space 36. Con- `nection between the ring 26 and 'the bind:

ing screw 27 may be established in any suitable way, as diagrammatically illustrated at 28. V

Spring engaging fingers 29-30, respectively in contact 'with the blade 19 and plate 23, are shaped to spread and interlockwith the terminals 17 and 18, establishing' contact therewith* and thus leading the current therefrom'to the binding screws 21 and 27. If now. a telegraphic instrument, such as a key or sounder, be placed in the branch i circuit of the wires 31-32 from the posts 21-27 it is obvious that it may be used on any of the series of lines 13-14 by merely shifting the switch blade*19 from' one' pair v of terminals 17-18 to another of the'series mounted on the base.

A stop plate 33 with notches 34- corresponding with the pairs of terminals 17-18 is preferably provided to limit the depth of the insertion of 'the blade, thus to pre- 4 vent the leg 25 overrunning the inner edge of rin 26. Furthermore, it will be noted from i 2 that the spring leg 25 supports' the bla e in' the out-of-contact postion while-maintaining it in convenient position to Shift it to the desired pair of line clips and thus establish a line circuit connection. It will be noted also that the inner end of the blade 19 enga'ges with the bottom of the slot 35, in the post 20, before the free end of the blade can be lifted high enough to raise the spring leg 25 from the ring 26. Not

only s the spring leg thus kept constantly in contact with the ring, but all danger of deforming the same by Contacting wth the with the terminals 17 and 18 of a single line.

The switch is easily operated, difficult to put out of order and p'erfectly adapted to its service.

Other modifications of the structure will readily suggest themselves, that do not depart from my invention, as pointed out in the following c1aims.`

V I claim as my inventionz- 1. A 'device of the typedescribed, comprising a' series of pairs of normally engaged terminals'for a series of line circuits, a branch circuit and a pivoted switch member in said branch circuit having insulated conductors to engage and-separate the terminals of any one' pair of line terninals whereby the branch circuit is connected with any one of the series of line circuits.

2. A device of the type described, comprising a series of pairs of normally engaged spring. contacts for a series of line circuits, a branchcircuit'and a switch member in the -latterhaving insulated conductors for engaging and separating the spring contacts in anyone of said line circuits whereby the branch circuit is brought into line circuit.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a base, a plurality of pairs of normally engaged spring terminals for a series of line circuits arranged in an arc thereon, a swiveling .switch member mounted on ,said base and having insulated conductors for engaging and separating any one pair of said line terminals, in combination with connections from the conductors of said lswitch member to terminals for'a branch 4. In a device of the character described, a swveling post an'd a terminal ring insu'- lated therefrom, in combination with a swtch arm comprising a switch blade pivotcd to said post, a plate insulated from but 'carried by said blade and means for electrically connecting said plate to said ring, together with means carried by said blade and plate for engaging spring terminals, for the purpose specified.

In a device of the character described, a swvelng post and a terminal ring around the same, in combination with a switch arm comprsng a switch blade pivoted to said post, a plate insulated from but carried by said blade and a spring leg extending from said plate to said ring to electrically connect the latter, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a swiveling post and a terminal ring insulated therefrom, in a combination with a switch arm comprising a switch blade pivoted to said post, a plate insulated from but carried by said blade and means for electrically connecting said plate' to said ring together with spring fingers-connected to said blade and plate for engaging spring terminals.

7. In a device of the character described, a swiveling post and a terminal rin around the same, in combination with a swtch arm comprising a switch blade pivoted to said post, a plate insulated from but carried by said blade and a spring leg extending from said plate to said ring to electrically connect the latter, and means to limit the extent to which said blade may be swung upward on its pivot, for the purpose specified.

8. In a device of the character described, a swiveling post and a terminal ring around the same, in combination with a switch arm comprising a switch blade pivoted to 'said post, a plate insulated' from but carried by said blade and a spring leg extending from said plate to said ring to electrically connect the latter, and means to limit the vertical angular displacement of said switch blade in either direction whereby said leg is prevented from overrunning the edges of the said ring.

9. A device of the character described, comprising a base, a plurality of pairs of normally engaged'spring terminals for a series of line circuits arranged in an arc thereon, a switch arm having insulated contacts adapted to engage'and separate a pair of said line terminals, said switch arm being pivoted on'both vertical and horizontal axes, whereby it may be swung into position to engage any of said pairs of line terminals and then pressed down into engaging position.

10. A device of the character described, comprising a' base, a plurality of pairs of normally engaged spring terminals for a series of line circuits arranged in an arc thereon, a switch arm having insulated contacts adapted to engage and separate a pair of said line terminals, said switch arm bing pivoted on both Vertical and horizontal axes whereby it mav be swung into position i to engage any of said pairs of line terminals and then pressed down into engagi'ng position, together with means for'maintaining said switch arm normally in disengagedpostion.

11. A device of the character described, comprising` a base, a pluralitv of pairs of normally engaged spring terminals for a seres of line circuits arranged in an 'arc thereon, a switch arm having insulated contacts ada ted to engage and separate 'a pair oi sai line termnals, said switch arm being pivoted on both vertical and horizontal axes whereby it may 'be swung into' position to engage any of said pairs of line terminals and then pressed down into e'gagng position, together with means for maintaining said switch arm normally in disengaged po- 10 s'ition, said coperating switch arm and lne terminals being shaped to interlock and thus hold the same in contact after having been brought into engagement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of '15 two subscribng witnesses.

' ROBERT L. RAMSAY. Witnesses':

W. H. FABMER, V. G. Tnoms. 

